While this epic route doesn’t climb to the summit of Mont Blanc, "the Tour du Mont Blanc is bursting with epic alpine scenery—glaciers, mountains, rivers, lakes, meadows and wildlife," writes Leslie Hittmeier on REI.com. Some of the best scenery comes from the top of high alpine passes—or "cols," in French. There are at least six major cols along the route, and according to FATMAP, you'll top out at a high point of 2,556 meters.

The route mostly follows narrow singletrack hiking trails, with some sections of road walking as you enter and exit the villages along the way. Most of these trails are historic routes dating back to time immemorial. Throughout the hike, you'll pass "churches still intact from the 18th century and walk the same paths that Roman soldiers used 2,000 years ago," according to Hittmeier.

Thanks to a well-developed hut system, along with towns and hotels along the route, there are numerous options for staying overnight and resupplying as you journey around the loop. You can find a hut every 6-10 miles, which prevents you from having to carry too much food or supplies with you.

Hikers complete the loop in anywhere from three to 13 days, or in just about one day if you're an ultrarunner competing in the UTMB. Due to the plethora of huts and 17 different villages along the route, you can easily create thru-hike itineraries of radically different difficulties, depending on the experience you're looking for. For a detailed itinerary breaking out every single day, be sure to dive deeper into the full TMB guidebook.

The version of the TMB mapped here begins from the top of Le Brevent lift. To access the beginning of the route as mapped, take Le Brevent from the town of Chamonix.